While it may not rival last year's 150th battle anniversary, Gettysburg businesses expect a strong weekend

The battlefield is always a tourist draw, especially during anniversary events

Terrill Barnes, right, and Daniel Keeney, left, both of Gettysburg, share a laugh while watching World Cup soccer on the televisions at the Blue & Gray Bar & Grill in downtown Gettysburg on Tuesday. The restaurant is looking forward to anniversary weekend as well as Gettysburg Bike Week, which is Thursday-Sunday. (Shane Dunlap - The Evening Sun)

Waitress Ashley Keller of the Blue & Gray Bar & Grill in downtown Gettysburg picks up food orders from the kitchen for customers during lunch on Tuesday. (Shane Dunlap - The Evening Sun)

GETTYSBURG -- David and Linda Antonini are the kind of tourists that Gettysburg business owners love to see.

The Antoninis, from Carmichaels in Greene County, made their third visit to Gettysburg in the past 18 months. They plan to head home Sunday after a week in town and expect they'll have spent between $1,500 and $2,000 on lodging, restaurants and entertainment.

"We have the whole week planned," said Linda Antonini, 61, a registered nurse at a nursing home.

An estimated 235,000 people flooded into Gettysburg last year for the 10 days surrounding the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

This year's 151st commemoration did not bring the same international attention. Local business owners interviewed this week didn't foresee business this weekend reaching the heights it did in 2013. But with lots of activities for visitors planned, including three days of battle reenactments and a concert and fireworks at Gettysburg College, business owners expected to see a strong weekend.

Matched against last year, "There is just no comparison," said Susan Trostle, a co-owner of T&S Clothing and Gifts on Gettysburg's Lincoln Square. "You're talking about a record number of people and a record number of events."

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Still, business this year has been good, Trostle said. To help attract shoppers this year, Trostle brought in some new merchandise, including baseballs decorated with battlefield scenes, American flags and red-white-and-blue bunting weathered to look like it is from the Civil War period.

And the shop still has some merchandise carrying the logo from the 150th anniversary, which hasn't lost its appeal with history buffs.

"People continue to ask for it," she said. "It's not a commodity that's passe."

Peter Monahan, owner of the Federal Pointe Inn in Gettysburg, poses for a photo in the inn's basement tavern on Tuesday. Despite less overall interest in this year's Gettysburg anniversary -- because last year's 150th drew records crowds -- Monahan said he expects his inn to have sold out over the weekend. (Shane Dunlap - The Evening Sun)

Last year, the Gettysburg Hotel sold out for the 10 days from June 28 to July 7. This year, General Manager Chuck Moran expected the 119-room hotel to be at least 90 percent full for the July 4 holiday at rates starting at $249 a night.

That's down from last year, when rooms for the 150th anniversary started at $399 a night and the hotel required a minimum stay of either five or seven nights. It required a two-night minimum this July 4 holiday.

Other businesses made their own adjustments.

Flats Original Flatbread Cafe brought in two extra employees for each shift during last year's July 4 holiday. The restaurant did not do that again this year, but "We're still expecting a lot of business," said Jeremy Newman, the restaurant's manager.

Meanwhile, the Federal Pointe Inn dropped a two-night minimum stay requirement but kept rates at around $250 a night, owner Peter Monahan said. As of Tuesday, the 18-room inn had one room available for July 4 and three available for July 5, but Monahan said he expected the hotel would sell out both nights.

Mike Torrao, the general manager at Blue & Gray Bar & Grill, whose menu includes burgers named after Union and Confederate Civil War generals, was hopeful that some people who stayed away from Gettysburg last year because of the crowds would return this year. And Gettysburg Bike week is July 10-13, and is expected to draw lots of people to town, too.

In the end, Gettysburg continues to attract visitors even in an anniversary year that doesn't have the cache of the 150th.

"Gettysburg is always going to be Gettysburg," said Jeanne Bair, co-owner of the Cannonball Old Tyme Malt Shop. "I don't care if it's the 150th anniversary or the 149th."

The Matos family, of Carlstadt, N.J., planned to spend July 4 in Gettysburg. Family members had been talking for a year about making their first visit to Gettysburg and Jorge Matos wanted their trip to extend over the holiday. "My kids will experience the reason why we celebrate July 4," said Matos, 46, a worker for a utility company.

Daughter Katherine, 19, and son Jorge, 15, were equally enthusiastic about taking in the historic sites, which included a scooter tour of the battlefield.

"We're both history freaks, so we loved it," Katherine said.

Peter Monahan, owner of the Federal Pointe Inn in Gettysburg, poses for a photograph outside the hotel on Tuesday. (Shane Dunlap - The Evening Sun)